The Wind That Blew My Heart Away
by alienofextraordinaryability
Summary: There are 6 billion souls in the world, and sometimes all you need is one. But what happens when you and your sister compete for the same one?
1. The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows

The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows

For as long as I can remember, there has been this unspoken competition between me and my sister. Actually, that's a lie. Since we were 7 there has been a competition. For years we had two parents, like most kids do. My dad would always congratulate me and praise me for things I did well. Meanwhile, my mom would do the same for my sister. Our family life was great. Me and Haley were like best friends. My mom and dad were completely in love with each other, life couldn't have been better. Then, when we were 7, our dad died. Heart problems ran in his family and one day he went into cardiac arrest. They were unable to revive him. Since then, things just got worse. My sister and I felt like we had to compete for my mom's affection. Actually, my sister felt that way. Somewhere along the line, we just grew so far apart and the competition was more intense. I just stopped trying because no matter what I did, Haley did it ten times better. So, instead of trying to impress my mother, I was just me. I glanced up as Haley popped up in my doorway.

"Peyton, mom is taking us out to dinner. And she wants us to wear the skirts she bought for us the other day." Haley said, leaving as quickly as she had appeared. These skirts that she just mentioned, were probably the ugliest things I had ever seen. They were both knee length, and these hideous colors. Haley's was bright yellow and mine was a vibrant orange. Finding the skirt took me a good ten minutes, which was pretty good time considering I had stuffed it in the back of my closet the second I got it. Knowing my mother, she would end up taking us to some fancy place. Her snobby tastes were good from time to time, especially when she was making us dress like clowns. At least if we went to expensive restaurants, I wouldn't see anyone I know. Reluctantly, I put on the skirt and a button down white top. I didn't feel like pleasing my mother tonight, so I left my hair down and didn't put on any makeup. The competition tonight would be easy for my sister to win.

"We're leaving!" I felt so loved. They don't even come up to get me, they just yell and expect me to hear them. Maybe they would forget me. They would climb in the car and drive off without me. I stood in the silence, waiting to hear the car pull out of the driveway. Unfortunately, I wasn't so lucky. The next thing I heard was obviously my mom leaning on the horn.

"I'm coming. Calm down ma." I muttered to myself as I walked downstairs, pulling open the front door and heading to the car.

"Took you long enough." Haley called out the window. I sent a sarcastic smile in her direction before climbing into the backseat.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you." I lied. My mom pulled out of the driveway and I jerked at the speed she used to turn.

"Couldn't you at least have put on a little rouge? We aren't going to McDonalds." my mother chided me.

"Where are we going?" I asked, praying for some fancy expensive restaurant.

"Daniel. The new restaurant that opened up downtown." Haley replied, running a finger underneath her eye to fix the smudged eyeliner. There was one thing I did better than she did, makeup. I sat in silence in the backseat, tuning out the mindless chatter between my sister and mother. The restaurant ended up only being about a half an hour away, so before I knew it, we were there. Apparently she had made reservations, and of course our table was the best one in the room. We sat down and ordered what we got every time we went out, three waters with lemon. I hated water with lemon, but my mom always ordered it for us. So I just drank it without complaining.

"So guess who wrote the editorial for this month's issue of the paper?" Haley said with a grin.

"Haley, congratulations! What's it about?" my mother asked excitedly.

"It's about how family life affects the person you become. I used my own personal experiences. I wrote about how I am a good person today because of my amazing mother." I kept myself from gagging at her sickly sweet tone. I wanted to say 'What about our father?', but I didn't. My mother blushed at Haley's overly enthusiastic praise of her.

"Oh Haley...you shouldn't have." she said, taking a sip of her water. "So I know how Haley's doing... How are you, honey?"

"I'm doing pretty good. We are having try outs all week for new cheerleaders. And I got an A on my essay in Mr. Turner's english class." I had my own successes to talk about, but I knew my sister would have something better to say in response.

"That's great! I'm glad you're keeping up in your studies."

"Mom, I forgot to tell you...I met a boy." Haley interrupted.

"What happened to Steve? He was a nice boy."

"It just wasn't working out. Steve was suffocating me. I had to end it." Steve was the guy she had brought home last week. I knew he wasn't going to last. Firstly, her dating him didn't make me jealous. Secondly, he was on the debate team, played with Pokemon cards, and even tried to start a club at school called 'Nerds Anonymous'. Seriously, HE was shocked that he got a girlfriend. He was lucky it was even for a week.

"Well, who's this new boy?"

"His name is Lucas, Lucas Scott. He used to go to the prep but he is transferring to Tree Hill high this week." she said excitedly. "Peyton, I think you'll like him. He's into reading and that lame music you listen to." I just put on a smile, really wanting to jump across the table and strangle her.

"How old is he?"

"Oh same as Peyton and I. And I was thinking maybe he could stop by for dinner tomorrow. Meet everyone." Haley suggested.

"What a lovely idea!" my mother exclaimed, like it was the best thing in the world. The competition had ended early this evening, and my sister had won. The rest of dinner was pretty much spent discussing the new boyfriend. Luckily, my thoughts kept me entertained as they droned on. One thing was for sure, I was not looking forward to tomorrow night's dinner.


	2. Running Into Love

Chapter Two: Running Into Love

Another boring day at Tree Hill High. I don't really feel like being in school today, but I have no choice. So I reluctantly park my car in the lot and head into school. Thankfully, I hadn't seen my sister yet. She had gone in early for some club meeting. I walked along the halls, heading to my locker. Before I could react, a hard body collided with mine. My bag fell to the floor, as did I. A soft groan fell from my lips when I felt someone on top of me. My mouth opened to utter a snide remark, but I was stopped by a pair of bright blue eyes.

"Hi." he said with a smile.

"Hi." I replied softly, short of breath. The intense stare between us continued for a few more moments before he climbed off of me. I grabbed a hold of his hand which he offered to me.

"Sorry I ran into you like that. It's my first day and I'm a little lost." he said apologetically.

"That's alright. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going." I replied, picking up my bag.

"Would you mind showing me to my first class? It's in room A-213." Sure, A-213 wasn't even close to where I was headed, but being a few minutes late wouldn't kill me.

"Right this way." And of course, I planned on taking the longer route. I smiled at him and led him down the stairs.

"Thank you so much. What did you say your name was again?"

"I didn't." I replied with a smirk.

"Ah, mystery...I like that quality in a woman." I could feel my cheeks turning red as he spoke, and hoped that he didn't notice.

"So, what's your name?" I asked.

"If you get to be mysterious then so do I." he retorted with a smirk.

"Touche." I said with a smile.

"Well, you can call me Broody." he said. I laughed softly, then realized that he was serious.

"Broody?"

"Yeah. That's what they called me back in my old school." I nodded my head.

"Alright. And you can call me...Sawyer."

"Okay. Sawyer it is. So Sawyer, what's your passion?"

"My passion?"

"Yeah, everyone has a passion. I, being truly original, have two passions."

"Oh yeah? What are they?"

"Writing and basketball."

"Those are kinda opposite...don't see too many smart jocks." I said with a laugh. He chuckled in response.

"Well, what can I say? I'm gifted."

"Wow. Someone has a big ego."

"Not all the time. It's just a part of my charm. Anyways, what's your passion?"

"Well, it just so happens that I have two passions too."

"Ooh, we have something in common. What are they?"

"Music, and art."

"You draw?"

"No, I fingerpaint." I teased lightly. "Yes I draw."

"You sing?" he asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, in the shower." I joked. "But that's not what I meant when I said music. I think that music can change the world, it can change the lives of people all over the country. People just need to listen to the lyrics."

"Wow. That was deep..." he said, surprised. "But what type of music? Please tell me you're not talking about the Lil Wayne, G-Unit, rapping about girls and fast cars." I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, not exactly. More on the other side of the spectrum. Have you ever heard of Travis? NOFX? Dashboard Confessional?" I asked, naming a few.

"You're a Travis fan?"

"You listen to Travis?" I asked, shocked. Not many guys did, especially not guys on the basketball team. He nodded his head.

"You have good taste in music. I'm surprised." he said with a smirk.

"Oh it's not too surprising. Most cheerleaders I know listen to NOFX all the time." I joked.

"You're a cheerleader?" I nodded.

"Yeah...I was forced into it, but it's not too bad."

"So I guess I'll be seeing you at the games?" I nodded, smiling.

"Just make sure you stay focused on the game...no drooling over me, alright?" He laughed softly.

"I'll keep the drooling to a minimum. I promise." We shared a laugh, and unfortunately, we were now at the classroom.

"I'll be seeing ya, Sawyer."

"Bye Broody." I smiled and walked away, I could hear my heart pounding ferociously. I felt butterflies flapping around in my stomach. I was never one to believe in love at first sight, but now my opinion had changed. I hurried to class when I heard the late bell ring. I slid into my seat, next to my best friend Rachel Gattina. "Oh my god."I mumbled.

"What?" she asked, turning to look at me.

"Well, I was just flirting with the hottest guy ever."

"What's his name?" she asked interested.

"I don't know...he told me to call him Broody."

"Weird...so he's new?" I just nodded. My mind consumed with thoughts of him. "Sweet Jesus." Rachel said with a laugh.

"What?" I questioned.

"You are totally falling for this guy!"

"I am not." I said defensively. "He was just nice. And hot. It's just a tiny crush."

"Yeah, right..." Rachel said with a laugh. Of course she wasn't right? Was she? I chose to believe that it was just a small little crush. The rest of the day went by, and I didn't see him once. I didn't see my sister either, and that was always good. I didn't even see him during cheerleading practice. I watched the basketball players all day and he wasn't there. I just figured that he had to talk to the coach or something before he could start. I headed home after school, trying to figure out how I could see him again. Maybe I could just happen to wander past his classroom in the morning. Or figure out where his locker was. Something. These thoughts were pushed aside as soon as I walked through the front door.

"Peyton! What took you so long to get home?!" Haley exclaimed.

"I had cheerleading practice. Like I do everyday after school." I replied with a sigh.

"Well, my boyfriend is gonna be here any minute!! You need to go get changed."

"Why?" I whined.

"Because we all need to look presentable." my mother interrupted.

"Fine. I'll change." I said, walking upstairs and collapsing on my bed. After a few minutes I decided to change. I put on a tanktop and mini skirt. I figured I could get her boyfriend all hot, he would be gone in a few days. It was win win. I sat down at my computer desk, playing around with random websites. After about an hour, I heard the doorbell ring.

"Peyton!! Can you get that?! Mom and I have to finish getting ready." I groaned and walked out of my room, jogging downstairs.

"Fine!" I pulled open the door and was shocked by who I saw. "Broody?" I questioned.

"Hey Sawyer!" he said, pulling me into a hug.

"What are you doing here?"

"This is where Haley lives, right?"

"You're my sister's new boyfriend?" I asked, shocked.

"I guess so." he said with a shrug. I could feel my heart drop into my stomach. My sister was dating him. How unfair was that? Once again, Haley got what she wanted, and I was left alone.

"Hey Lucas!" I heard my sister call. "I see you've met Peyton." she added, looking me distastefully up and down.

"Ah, so that's your name. I think I'm gonna stick with Sawyer." he said with a smile. Haley glared at me before slipping her arm through Lucas's. "Let's go sit down. Dinner is ready. Mom's at the table." I watched them go, feeling a pang of jealousy run through me. It didn't matter if I was crushing on him anymore. Now I just had to let go, and hope that Haley would be done with him in a week, maybe less. One thing I know for sure, is that this is going to be the dinner from hell.

_A/N: I hope to have chapter three up sometime this week. Reviews are appreciated!_


	3. Family Dinner

**Chapter Three: Family Dinner**

I sat at the table, picking at my food. Conversation was flowing, mostly between my mother and sister. Mom would ask Lucas questions, and Haley would answer for him. I couldn't help but wonder if it was annoying him as much as it was annoying me.

"So Haley, why didn't you tell me you had a sister?" Lucas asked. I looked up, surprised that he had interrupted.

"You just never asked." Haley replied with a shrug. "Besides, I didn't think it was that important." I rolled my eyes and took a bite of the chicken my mom had ordered.

"I'm just surprised that you didn't mention her...I mean, we have so much in common." Lucas smiled over at me and I felt my heart soar. I returned his smile before looking down at my plate.

"You do?" my mom asked, sounding beyond stunned. Lucas nodded his head, taking a sip of his lemon water.

"We listen to the same music, she's a cheerleader and I'm a basketball player, plus we're both artists."

"You're an artist?" Haley questioned.

"Kind of...he's a writer." I blurted out without thinking. "Oh, sorry." I said, stifling a laugh.

"It's okay." he replied, sending a reassuring grin my way.

"You write? Haley didn't mention that." my mom said, eating the salad she had prepared for herself.

"That's because I didn't know..." Haley mumbled. She was clearly upset that I knew something about Lucas that she didn't. It made me happy.

"My dream is to write the next great American novel. I just haven't found my inspiration yet."

"Do you even have an idea about what you want to write about?" I asked, intrigued.

"I've got a few ideas rolling around in my head but I haven't settled on anything yet." he replied.

"I can help...you know if you want to throw some ideas around." I tried not to melt in the powerfulness of his deep blue eyes.

"That'd be great!" I grinned as his smile widened. "I don't have that many but maybe you could help me think of more." I nodded my head.

"Maybe we can meet up after practice tomorrow."

"It's a date." Haley cleared her throat and Lucas glanced over at her, like he had almost forgotten she was there. "It's just a figure of speech honey bunny." he added, sliding his hand over hers on the table. She immediately brightened at the use of the pet name and took over the conversation. I glanced up at Lucas and he smiled softly. I felt shivers run through my body. My gaze fell back to my plate. I had to remember that he was with Haley. I mean, she's my sister so I should leave her be. Let her be happy with the guy of my dreams. Right? Wrong. I was given the opportunity to get closer to Lucas, and I wasn't gonna let it pass me by. Even if we just became close friends, I would be fine with that. Something was telling me that I needed to have him in my life.

"Are you finished Peyton?" The voice of my mother broke me from my thoughts.

"Oh, yeah. I'll clear the plates." She smiled appreciatively at me and I picked up my plate as well as my mom's and Haley's. I went to take Lucas's plate but he pushed my hand away.

"Let me help. It's the least I could do."

"You don't have to Broody. I can do them myself." I said, holding my hand out for his plate.

"Not happening Sawyer. I'm helping." He pushed my hand away, sending a jolt of electricity through me when his rough skin brushed against mine.

"Let him help honey. That way the dishes will get done faster." I stuck my tongue out at him playfully and he chuckled, pushing me gently towards the kitchen. I scraped the remnants of food into the trash, handing them to him to put in the sink.

"Offering to help me with the dishes won't get you in with my mom you know." I informed him..

"Maybe I'm trying to get in with someone else." I surprisingly managed to hide the smirk that blossomed onto my face. "Hopefully Haley will see me as a man that's not afraid to do a woman's chore." The smirk vanished.

"So washing dishes is a woman's chore?" I questioned, wanting to keep the playful banter going.

"As a matter of fact it is. Most things in the kitchen are women's chores. Cooking, washing dishes, cleaning."

"Spoken like a sexist pig."

"Hey, I resent that!" I laughed softly and put the stopper in the sink, filling it with soapy water.

"You can wash, I'll dry." I said, grabbing a small towel. He stuck his hands in the water and began washing the plates.

"So I was thinking we could go grab a bite after practice tomorrow...eat and pass around ideas. What do you think?"

"You paying?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He nodded his head and glanced over at me. "Then I'm in." I said.

"So, you and your sister don't get along?"

"Not so much." I said honestly.

"Why not?" he asked, handing me a plate.

"We used to get along great. We would do everything together...but when my dad died, things changed. We stopped being friends and barely spoke, and it just continued into our teen years. But I'm fine with it." I said with a shrug. He put down the plate and turned to look at me.

"No you're not."

"Excuse me?"

"You miss your sister, the girl you used to be best friends with...don't even try to tell me I'm wrong. I can see it in your eyes." I had no idea what to say to that. I stood in silence, biting my lip nervously. No one had ever seen through me like that.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Things are never gonna change, and I've learned to face that fact." I blinked away the tears that were trying to escape. "I'll go get Haley and she can help you finish up the rest of the dishes."

"Peyton, I-" Before he could finish I had left the kitchen, handing Haley the small towel and going upstairs to my room. I couldn't let him see through me anymore. I needed to put my walls up, keep him out of my heart. Besides, he was with my sister, he wanted my sister, and there was nothing I could do to change that.

_Author's Note: Okay, so I know, it took me forever and ever amen to update. School has only been in session for about 4 days, and its killing me!! I'm trying to update the rest of my fanfics and am trying to get into a patter. Reviews are great, keep 'em coming!_


	4. If I Never See Your Face Again

**Chapter Four: If I Never See Your Face Again **

It had been a couple weeks since the family dinner, and I had successfully managed to avoid Lucas. There were, however, the occasional moments when I would walk downstairs and find him and my sister making out on the couch. It was incredibly disturbing, and a bit upsetting, so I would let them go at it and sneak back up to my room. It was an awful situation to be in. I would have to duck around corners in school when I saw him, ignore him when he called my name. I hated it, but it had to be done. I couldn't let myself be near him anymore, I wouldn't let myself fall for him. He was my sister's, and I was beginning to realize that that probably wouldn't change anytime soon. I tried to keep my mind off of him by surrounding myself with my art, but in every picture, he was involved somehow. I couldn't escape my feelings for him, so I ignored him, hoping that my little unrequited crush would go away.

"Peyton, earth to Peyton!" Rachel said, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Huh, what?" I asked, blinking a few times.

"Class is over...the bell rang about 5 minutes ago. What's going on with you?"

"Oh." I said, glancing up at the clock. How had I not realized that? "Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Hun, you've been like this for the past two weeks...lemme guess, still haven't gotten over Lucas."

"I was never into Lucas." I reminded her, grabbing my books and walking out of the room.

"You cannot lie to your best friend. I can see right through your little facade."

"Rachel, I'm not lying. He's dating my sister, end of story."

"He asked about you." That got my attention.

"What? When? Oh my god, what'd he say?" Rachel smirked, and I knew she had been lying. I pushed her gently. "Don't joke like that."

"You're totally into him Peyt. Instead of ignoring him, go after him!" she urged. Of course that would be Rachel's solution to the problem.

"It's not that simple Rach..."

"And why not?"

"He likes my sister. Remember our conversation after the family dinner from hell?" Rachel nodded her head.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. That doesn't mean shit. You should take a shot. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Hmm...he could reject me, I could be banished from my family." I said seriously.

"Rejection can be easily handled with a little whisky, and there's always room at my house." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm going now." I said, shutting my locker and walking to my next class. Maybe Rachel was right, maybe I should stop avoiding him. Maybe- My thoughts were interrupted when I felt someone grab my waist, pulling me into a nearby classroom. "What the hell!" I exclaimed, pulling away from the person who had grabbed me. "Who do you think you- Lucas?" I questioned. I was stunned to say the least.

"Why have you been ignoring me?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"What are you talking about? I can't ignore you if I don't see you..."

"You practically run in the opposite direction when you see me, I call your name and you don't respond, I never see you around your house anymore... What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing. You have done nothing wrong." I said with a sigh. "Why the hell does that even matter to you? Who cares if I talk to you or not. You don't need to be friends with me to get on my sister's good side. She already is really into you." I rested my hands on my hips. I was a jumble of nerves, but tried to maintain an appearance of calmness.

"I know that. And I don't want to talk to you just to get on your sister's good side."

"Then why do you care so much that I'm ignoring you?" He ran a hand through his hair, breathing deeply. I was feeling the bubble guts. Maybe he liked me too? Maybe he realized he was with the wrong sister...

"You said you would help me come up with ideas for my book." he said. My heart sank down to my stomach. That's why he wanted to talk to me? I should have known.

"Are you kidding me?!" I asked incredulously.

"What?" he questioned confused.

"So, the only reason you want to talk to me is so I'll help you come up with stupid ideas for your book?!" I practically yelled. I laughed bitterly, sliding a hand through my curls. "Screw you." I said, shoving him back. "I've spent every day since that dinner avoiding you. I barely leave my room now because I don't want to watch you and my sister make out in every corner of our house!" I was fuming, and he was going to listen to what I had to say whether he liked it or not.

"I know that it's-''

"No! You don't know!" I took a step towards him, my eyes ablaze with anger. "You are a flirty, manipulating, stupid jock! That is what you are. You flirt with every girl, assuming that they'll fall head over heels in love with you. You try to see right through people when you don't have a right to. And a girl avoids you for weeks and you don't know why?!" I set my bag down on one of the desks, pulling out my sketchbook. "This is why!" I exclaimed. I tore out each picture one by one, throwing them at him. It didn't really give off the desired affect since they were just pieces of paper, but oh well. "These are why I've been avoiding you! But now I realize that I was stupid, since you are the most self-centered person I've ever met!!" I sighed softly, trying to keep my voice from shaking too much. I could feel a few tears trickle down my cheeks. I needed to get out of there, fast. "Let's just go back to the way things have been for two weeks. I'll ignore you, and you won't talk to me. Okay?" Instead of waiting for an answer, I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out of the room. I wiped my eyes, my fingers stained black. Of course, my mascara had run. Because nothing could go right for me. One thing was for sure, I couldn't handle the rest of the day. I went home, crawling into bed and staring blankly at the ceiling. If I never saw Lucas again, it would be too soon.

_Author's Note: Chapter four!! I'm gonna work on chapter five today as well because I'm really getting into this story. This chapter was by far my favorite one to write. Reviews are fantasticcc!! _


	5. Whatever It Takes

Chapter 5: Whatever It Takes

I decided that night to take the rest of the week off. To clear my head, and to be sure that I wouldn't run into Lucas. As long as I stayed in my room when Haley was home, I'd be fine. Faking sick wouldn't be too difficult either. Mom was always working, or going out with her friends. All I had to do was cough a couple times and make myself look paler than usual. That would buy me the week. And if that didn't work, there were other methods I could resort to... Like I had figured, it didn't take much to convince my mom. After a pretty intense coughing fit, and some gagging noises, she suggested I just stay home the rest of the week. I promised her I would have someone bring all my work by so I could be caught up, and she was on her way.

"Sick, huh?" Haley questioned, raising an eyebrow. She practically scared the living daylights out of me. I wasn't expecting her to pop up in my doorway.

"Yeah...it's probably just a cold."

"Cold my ass. You're faking it." she said, crossing her arms.

"And why would I fake being sick? Do you really think I'd be in bed right now if I didn't have to be?" I questioned.

"Whatever, I'm leaving. I can't be late...I have plans with Lucas...bye." she said, grinning viciously at me before walking away. I rolled over in bed, shaking the thoughts out of my head. I just wanted the day to myself, to relax, and to not think about Lucas. Luckily, I fell asleep for another two hours. I woke up to silence, and it felt great. I slid out of bed, pulling a pair of short shorts and a tanktop on over my lingerie. I grabbed the remote to my stereo, turning it up as loud as it could go. I made my way downstairs, in need of a drink. The music was quieter the further away I got, but I could still hear it. I grabbed a bottle of water, dancing around the house. I just wanted to feel a sense of freedom. My favorite song was on, Secret Crowds, and I was really getting into it when the doorbell rang.

"Who the hell is that?" I questioned to myself. I made my way to the door, pulling it open. "Whatever you're- Lucas?" He was a mess. His hair was all over the place, he looked like he hadn't slept a wink. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school with my sister? You're girlfriend?" I asked, crossing my arms. He didn't say a word, just brushed past me. "What are you doing?!" I asked, completely confused. My mouth opened to speak again when he placed a stack of papers on the table. They were my drawings, the ones I had thrown at him the other day. "Luke..." I mumbled, looking up at him. He turned around so he was facing me, his eyes blazing a deep blue. I didn't know what to say. Words weren't necessary. Lucas stepped closer, his hands pulling my waist towards him, his lips covering mine. I couldn't help but kiss him back, my lips moving against his. My hands slid into his hair, resting on the back of his neck. All coherent thought was out the window. The only thing that mattered to me was him. His hands slid to my lower back, pulling me closer to him. I felt his soft tongue brush against my lips, silently asking for entrance which I granted him moments later. Tingles ran through my entire body when his tongue caressed mine. A soft moan fell from my lips into his mouth. All of a sudden I realized what was happening and I took a shaky step back. "Luke?" I questioned, trying to even out my breathing.

"I've spent the past 12 hours trying to figure everything out. I examined every single piece of art you threw at me to try to get some insight on all this." he said, motioning between us. "I felt it that first day I met you...when I ran into you in the hallway. You were gorgeous, and we had so much in common. But then I found out you were Haley's sister... I didn't know what to do." I just stood there, shocked.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

"I thought I had a good thing going with Haley. But then I met you...I can't be around her without thinking about you. Whenever she brings me here, I wonder where you are. My dreams, they're about you. I know this isn't the best situation to be in but...I can't get you out of my head."

"I...uhm...you're dating my sister." I said lamely.

"I know...I know. But I can't help it Peyton...and I know you feel the same way."

"Luke I...I mean...we can't..." I mumbled, looking up at him. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at him. He was perfect, and my heart was racing. "Just..." I stepped forwards, my lips covering his. I couldn't get rid of my feelings. They were there, and they weren't going anywhere. We kissed for what seemed like hours, my lips practically numb when he pulled away. He smiled down at me, pecking my lips once more.

"You're beautiful." he whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I bit my lip nervously, looking up at him.

"What are we gonna do?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know...but I need you." he replied. With those words, I was his. My sister didn't matter, the fact that this was wrong, didn't matter. All that mattered was he cared about me, just as much as I cared about him.

"Okay." I whispered, a soft smile gracing my lips.

"Okay what?" he asked, a hopeful tone to his voice.

"Okay we can be together...but you need to stay with my sister."

"Why?" he asked, frowning softly. "I don't want to be with her. I want to be with you."

"I know, and I want to be with you too. But you can't just dump her and be with me...that's beyond against girl code. It's completely wrong on numerous levels. So you need to stay with her." I said softly. I hated that I had to do this. But I would do whatever it took to be with Lucas. He sighed softly and looked away from me. His silence was making me nervous.

"Okay." he whispered, finally turning back to look at me. "If it means I get to be with you...I'll do whatever it takes." I returned his gentle smile, happiness coursing through my veins.

"Well umm...you should get back to school." I said reluctantly, brushing my fingers over my lips. He nodded his head softly, his hands gripping my waist. "Luke." I giggled gently when he walked me towards the couch.

"I should go back to school, but I don't want to." he whispered in my ear, his breath warm against my skin.

"Luke..." I whispered, warningly. I didn't plan on doing anything with him, and if he thought I was going to, he was out of his mind.

"I just want to kiss you." he replied, looking into my eyes as he laid me down on the couch. How could I say no to that? I nodded my head gently, and his body lowered, moving slowly towards mine. Everything was perfect. His kisses were soft and slow. His hands warm, brushing against my skin as my t-shirt rode up. But, I knew we couldn't keep at this forever. My sister would be home soon, and she couldn't know that he had been here. Lucas' lips pulled away from mine, my hand resting on his cheek. He smiled down at me, and my heart skipped a beat.

"I'm glad you came." I whispered honestly. I never even thought for a second that he would have felt the same way about me as I did about him.

"So am I." he added quietly. "You have no idea how nervous I was about telling you how I feel." I smiled at him and shrugged my shoulders.

"I think I have an idea." I replied. "To be honest, I wasn't even planning on telling you."

"Well I'm glad you did...if you hadn't I don't think I would've." I was glad he was being honest with me, it was nice. I glanced over at the clock and practically shoved him off of me.

"Shit. My sister's gonna be home soon." I said, sending him an apologetic smile. He stood up and slid one of my pictures out of the pile.

"I'll see you in school tomorrow?" I nodded my head and bit my lip softly.

"Definitely." He kissed me gently, his hands resting on my hips. I never wanted him to let me go, but I knew he had to.

"Bye Sawyer." he whispered, before walking out the door.

"Bye Broody." I replied softly, my fingers brushing over my lips. I leaned against the door, amazed that that had just happened. I knew it would be tough, to sneak around behind my sister's back. But I would do whatever it took to be with Lucas.

_Author's Note: So this update took a lot longer than I expected. I got the internet taken away but I finally finished and got my computer back. Hope you like it!! Reviews are appreciated._


	6. Unexpected Invitation

_A/N: So I've been really getting into this story, but I've had some difficulty figuring out the parent situation and all that. So here's a rundown of the families._

_-__**Peyton Sawyer**__, and __**Haley Sawyer **__are sisters, their father (deceased) is __**Larry Sawyer**__. Their mother is __**Anna Sawyer**__._

_-__**Lucas Scott**__, his mother is __**Karen Scott**__, father is __**Keith Scott**__. Uncle is __**Dan Scott **__who is married to __**Deb Scott. **__(Dan's gonna be nice in this fanfic). __**Nathan Scott **__is Lucas's cousin. He'll come into the story more in the next chapter._

_I know it's kind of confusing, I didn't plan out the family situations very well but I think it turned out alright. Now on to chapter six!_

Chapter Six: Unexpected Invitation

"Lucas." I giggled as he kissed my neck. "We're gonna be late." We were sitting in the school library, hidden in the deserted stacks. Our legs were tangled together, his fingertips lacing through mine.

"So?" he mumbled, sliding his mouth to mine. I couldn't help but kiss him back, releasing a gentle moan into his mouth. He grinned against my lips before pulling away. "Let's just leave...skip the rest of the day."

"I have two tests today, not happening." I replied with a smile. He nodded his head in understanding, his fingertips brushing against my arm.

"So, guess what I'm doing this weekend." he said mysteriously.

"Hmm...bringing me back to your place and making me dinner?" I teased with a playful grin.

"Maybe next weekend." he said with a chuckle. I smiled and nodded, satisfied.

"So, what are you doing this weekend?" I asked.

"We're having this big family get together at my uncle's house."

"That'll be fun, huh?" He shrugged his shoulders, looking into my eyes.

"It will be...if you come with me."

"Shouldn't you be bringing your girlfriend to the family gatherings?" I asked, a bit surprised.

"I should be bringing you." he replied quietly, stroking my hair lightly.

"Luke...I can't go. You know that." I said sighing softly.

"Why can't you?" he asked.

"What am I supposed to tell my mom, or Haley? Hell, what are you gonna tell Haley?" I questioned.

"You tell your mom and Haley you're going to spend the night out at a friends house. I tell Haley I'm going to a family get together. She asks to come, I'll say I'd rather go to this one on my own. You can go to Rachel's and I'll pick you up from there...just...say you'll come with me." he pleaded softly. I bit my lip, avoiding his gaze.

"I can't-"

"Say you'll come with me." he repeated, his fingertips pulling my gaze back to his. I opened my mouth to say no, but it was so hard to say no when I was looking into his gorgeous blue eyes.

"I...I'll come with you." I whispered. He smiled and kissed me excitedly.

"They're gonna love you. I know it."

"Luke...how many people are gonna be there??" I asked, nervously.

"Not too many." he said with a shrug. "You, me. My mom, my dad, my sister. My aunt and uncle. My grandparents, and my cousin." he said. I felt like I was about to faint.

"Oh god." I mumbled.

"What?" he asked confused.

"What if they all hate me?" I asked, looking at him. "And they know you're dating Haley right?"

"They won't hate you. Everyone's gonna love you, don't worry about that. And not exactly...I mean, my mom knows but she's not Haley's biggest fan." he said honestly. I couldn't help but smile softly. But then again, if she didn't like Haley, why would she like me?

"God...now I have to go shopping and get a nice outfit to wear. Oh my god...you should have given me more notice!" I exclaimed, looking over at him.

"I'm sorry Peyt. Next time, I promise I'll give you a whole week in advance to prepare."

"Oh next time?" I asked with a smile.

"Mhm...next time." he whispered, capturing my lips with his. I smirked softly, kissing him back, my hands resting on the back of his neck. I was really getting into it, and so was he. His hands had just slid down my back when I heard footsteps.

"Someone's coming!" I whispered, sliding off of his lap and slipping around the corner. I sat down on the floor, trying to be as quiet as possible.

"What are you doing back here?" I recognized that voice. It was Haley.

"Nothing...just relaxing before I decide to go to class."

"Luke, you're gonna be late. You can't miss class."

"I know, I know. I'm going. Thank you Hales." I peeked around the corner and watched as he kissed her cheek and left. I grinned to myself and pulled back, resting my back against one of the book shelves.

"I'll call you." I looked up when I heard a whisper and smiled at Lucas. I nodded my head, pressing my lips to his before he headed to class. I leaned back and smiled, so far happy with the way things were turning out. Then I remembered that I was going to see Lucas's family this weekend and I rushed off to class. I needed to talk to Rachel.

"Miss Sawyer, nice of you to finally join us." I smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again." I sat down next to Rachel, waiting for the teacher to start talking before I did. "We need to talk...I'm in a difficult situation."

"Oh my god you're pregnant?!" she exclaimed quietly. I sighed and rolled my eyes at her.

"No I'm not pregnant." I replied with a shake of my head. "It's worse..."

"Oh god...this oughta be good." Rachel said with a smirk. She loved gossip and drama, she literally came to school every day to find out every bit of information she could about everybody.

"I...I can't really tell you here. Want to skip out after this class?" I suggested, knowing she wouldn't pass up the chance to hear this. She nodded her head eagerly and I settled back in my seat. I hadn't told Rachel about me and Lucas, because I just wasn't sure I wanted anyone to know. But, now I needed her help. Sure, Rachel dressed like a slut more than 99.9 of the time, but she knew how to dress parental appropriate. The class dragged on. It seemed like an extra hour was added to the class. I was more than grateful when the bell rang. I stood up and felt Rachel pulling me out of the classroom.

"Come on. I need to know. You can drive...I had Justin bring me to school today." I almost had to run to keep up with Rachel's pace.

"Jesus christ slow down." I said, sighing when we got to the car, sliding into the driver's seat.

"What happened? Tell me!" I started the car and pulled out of the school parking lot.

"So...you know how Haley has that new boyfriend Lucas?" I glanced over at her as she nodded. "Well, we've kind of been sneaking around behind Haley's back..." I wasn't looking, but I could tell Rachel was stunned, I was willing to bet that her mouth just dropped open.

"Oh my god. I'm so proud of you!!" I raised an eyebrow and laughed softly. "No seriously! This is like, something I would do! But, you? Peyton Sawyer? You must really like this guy."

"Anyways, I need your help." I said, pulling onto the highway.

"To seduce him? Alright all you have to do is get a box of flavored-"

"Not to seduce him. I don't plan on sleeping with him anytime soon."

"Well, other than that I don't know much about relationships.."

"I need help picking out parent appropriate clothing. He's taking me to a family gathering thing this weekend."

"A family gathering? Jesus. And he's clearly really into you." I smiled softly, hoping she was right. I parked close to the mall, it was pretty empty since it was a Thursday afternoon.

"So we're going for appropriate, but something that'll make Lucas excited." I laughed softly and shrugged my shoulders.

"More or less, yeah." I said, deciding to be honest. Turning Lucas on wouldn't be too awful. Actually, it wouldn't be awful at all. Rachel climbed out of the car, sliding her arm through mine.

"Well let's get to shopping girly." I smirked and we walked into the mall, heading off to the nearest Victoria's Secret.

"I need clothing Rachel, not lingerie."

"I know...but lingerie is good for the soul, and it'll give you something to tease Lucas with." she said with a grin. I laughed and shook my head, Rachel would always be the same. We spent a good 25 minutes in that store, Rachel throwing lingerie in my direction. We went to the check out and walked out of the store.

"Alright, now can we please focus? I need something sexy but appropriate...oh god I'm never gonna find anything."

"Chill. We'll find something. I'm the clothes shopping genius...I could find you a sexy outfit at Appleseeds if I looked hard enough." I had faith in Rachel, so I nodded my head and let her lead the way... Shopping took forever. But it was successful. I ended up getting two pairs of shoes, a skirt, pair of pants, a couple tops, and the lingerie. I was so nervous about it all, but I knew I'd have Rachel to help me get ready and prepare. I just hoped that I could handle this, and that his family would like me.

_A/N: So here's chapter six. Next chapter will be the family get together, and drama will ensue in chapter 8. Reviews are great!! _


	7. Finally Fitting In

_A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Glad to know people are liking my story. In the next chapter, the real drama will begin. I hope to have it up by this weekend. _

Chapter 7: Finally Fitting In

I sifted through the pile of clothing on Rachel's bed, trying to decide what to wear. Sure, we had gone shopping a few days before, but I wasn't so sure about what we had bought anymore.

"Rachel!" I called, wondering where the hell she had vanished to.

"What?" she hollered back, popping up in the doorway. "Are you kidding, you still haven't decided on what to wear?" I had been searching through clothing for about two hours now.

"I'm too nervous to think straight...god I'm gonna mess this up so bad." I mumbled, running a hand through my curls.

"Step one, take a deep breath. If you keep thinking you're gonna mess up, then you will." she said, resting her hands on my shoulders. I did as she told, breathing in deeply. "Alright, now I will pick out your outfit for you, you go work on your hair. You only have an hour and a half left before he's coming to get you."

"Okay...I can do this." I whispered. I walked over to her dresser, sitting down in front of the large mirror. I grabbed the curling iron and made sure my curls were tight, perfectly curly.

"Done. Now let me do your makeup, and then you can get dressed." Rachel said, walking over to me.

"Already? Damn." I said surprised. It had taken her a total of what, 15 maybe 20 minutes, and I had taken two hours.

"Yes already. Now stop moving your lips." I nodded my head gently and did as I was told. When she finished my makeup, I heard the doorbell ring.

"Oh god...he's here! He's here and I'm not even ready yet." I said, silently cursing myself.

"It's fine. I'll go let lover boy in, you get dressed." I nodded and grabbed the outfit she had picked out for me. A nice pair of jeans, that were definitely parental appropriate, but gave me a nice body shape, and a light yellow Henley. I did look hot, but wouldn't give his family the wrong idea. I slid on a pair of ballet flats, grabbed my purse and walked downstairs.

"Hi." I said, smiling at Lucas.

"Wow...you look amazing." he replied quietly. Rachel smirked at me, clearly proud of her work.

"Well I'll leave the two of you alone. Have fun." She walked over to me and whispered in my ear. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." I shook my head and smiled at her, turning back to Lucas as she went upstairs.

"So I really look alright?" I asked, biting my lip.

"You look absolutely gorgeous. My family is gonna love you." he said, kissing me softly. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.

"I hope your right." I said quietly.

"We better get going. The party doesn't officially start until around 1, but knowing my family everyone is there already." We walked out to his car and I slid into the passenger seat.

"Promise not to leave my side, unless forced." I said to him seriously.

"I promise." he said, smiling at me. We drove off in a comfortable silence, my hand laced together with his on the arm rest. The further we drove, the bigger the houses became, and that made me even more nervous. Big houses, meant lots of money. I had never been one of the upper class, ever. We stopped in front of possibly the biggest house we had seen so far.

"Please tell me this is a joke..." I said, looking over at him as he stopped the car.

"What are you talking about? What's a joke?" he questioned, clearly confused.

"This is your uncle's house?!" I exclaimed. He just nodded his head. "Oh my god. What, is your family ridiculously wealthy or is there an insane amount of people in it?" I asked, breathing deeply.

"Both I guess." he said with a chuckle.

"Okay this is no time for laughter Lucas Scott!" I ran a hand through my curls, cursing quietly and pulling down the visor, adjusting my hair in the mirror. I glanced over at Lucas who was staring at me, a wide grin on his face. "What?" I questioned.

"You're just so adorable when you're nervous." he said, reaching out and bringing my mouth towards his. I made a soft protest before his mouth covered mine. I kissed him back, I couldn't bring myself not to. All too soon he pulled away. "You'll do great...they're gonna love you."

"I can do this...I can definitely do this." I said to myself as he got out of the car. Of course I could do it...mind over matter. I closed my eyes for a moment, then I heard my car door open. "I can do this." I told him seriously.

"I know you can baby. You'll do great." He slid his hands over mine and pulled me out of the car. As we got closer to the house, my stomach twisted in knots. I could hear voices, it sounded like everyone was outside. He squeezed my hand reassuringly before walking with me inside the house, heading towards the backyard.

"Lukey!" I saw a little girl, probably around 4 years old, race towards Lucas, his hand dropping mine and scooping her up in his arms.

"Hey Lils." he said with a smile.

"Who's your friend? She's pretty." I blushed softly and smiled at the little girl.

"Why thank you. I'm Peyton, what's your name?"

"I'm Lily Scott." she said proudly.

"Is this your big brother?" I guessed with a smile. She nodded her head, wrapping her arms around Lucas's neck.

"You want to help me introduce her to everyone else?" he asked with a grin. Lily nodded her head eagerly, sliding out of Lucas's hold.

"Come on Peyton." she said excitedly, grabbing a hold of my hand and pulling me outside. I laughed softly, shrugging at Luke and letting her bring me outside.

"Everybody be quiet!! Please." I was surprised, this girl was loud. I felt a little embarrassed when everyone stopped talking and turned to look at us. "This is Peyton. She's Lukey's pretty friend!" she said excitedly. I looked out at the people, everyone was smiling warmly at me which was a good sign. I noticed a guy that looked to be around our age.

"Hi Peyton. I'm Karen, Lucas's mother." I smiled at the dark haired woman and shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you. Lucas has told me a lot about you." I said.

"He's told me a lot about you too. We'll have to talk later. I'll introduce you to the rest of the family." I laughed softly and nodded my head. Everyone knew who I was, but I didn't know who any of them were. First she introduced me to all of the adults. Keith, Dan, Deb. Then she brought me over towards the younger guy. "This is Nathan, Lucas's cousin." I smiled and shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Peyton."

"Lily was right, you're beautiful." I blushed softly and looked up at him.

"Thank you." I said appreciatively. I glanced back nonchalantly to see where Lucas was, but he was busy talking to his uncle.

"I'll let you two talk. I have to go prepare dinner." Karen left, and it was just me and Nathan.

"So where do you go to school? I don't think I've seen you around before."

"I go to the prep...I've been thinking about switching though."

"I think you'd like public school. People definitely aren't as uptight." I said honestly.

"You go there right?" he asked, looking into my eyes. I just nodded my head. Was his cousin coming on to me? "Then I already like it...I'll probably transfer within the week. Would you show me around? Help me get to my classes?" he asked. Yeah, he was definitely coming on to me.

"Yeah, sure." I said with a smile. He opened his mouth as if he was going to speak again but then didn't say anything, letting his mouth close.

"How's everything going?" I turned around when I heard Lucas and smiled.

"Did you know your cousin is transferring too? I told him I'd help him find all his classes and everything." I said honestly.

"Why haven't you brought her around before? She's a lot prettier than your last friend...Lindsey." he said with a smirk. I couldn't help but wonder...who was Lindsey?

"Shut up Nathan." he said, glaring at him. The tension was obvious, and I just wanted a way out of the situation.

"Peyton! Could you come help me for a minute?" Karen called.

"I'm just gonna go...help Karen." I told them, walking away quickly. So, to everyone, we were just friends right? A part of me thought so, another part wasn't too sure. "What do you need help with?" I asked, willing to do anything to help out.

"I just wanted to talk with you for a little bit before we all sit down and eat." This made me nervous, but I nodded my head and walked inside with her. We sat down at the kitchen table and I took a deep breath. "So, Lucas told me, about the two of you..."

"What do you mean?" I asked, not wanting to get into detail about our situation unless I was sure she actually knew.

"That you two have been...together behind your sisters back."

"Oh god...you must think I'm an awful person." I said quietly, beyond the point of embarrassment. "I didn't mean for it to happen, but when I met Lucas I didn't know about it, and he came over for dinner, and then...maybe I should just leave."

"No, no, no. Don't leave. I'm not here to judge you Peyton." she said calmly, resting her hand on top of mine. "I understand. When you love someone, nothing else really matters." she added.

"Oh it's not like that with us." I said quickly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. I was caught off guard when she started to laugh. "What?"

"Have you seen the way my son looks at you? Not only that, but the way he talks about you...you should hear him." I blushed softly, running a hand through my hair.

"So I'm guessing he tells you a lot?" I asked, looking up at her.

"I'd like to think he tells me everything but I know that's not true. However, he does tell me a lot."

"So I was wondering...what do you know about some girl named Lindsey?" I asked. I figured since she pretty much knew everything, she'd be the person to ask about Lucas's past.

"Ahh...Lindsey was his last girlfriend. He was convinced he loved her and was going to be with her forever, but I knew different. Mother's intuition I guess." she said with a chuckle.

"So, what happened? I mean, why isn't he with her anymore?"

"Well, he realized that it wasn't love he was feeling, it was purely lust. That and the fact that she cheated on him with Nathan." I made a soft gasping sound, genuinely surprised. Nathan had stolen Lucas' last girlfriend? Now I felt guilty for offering to show him around the school, let alone actually talk to him.

"Oh wow...his own cousin?" I just couldn't believe it.

"So just be careful...Nathan tends to come on a little strong. And I wouldn't say Lucas is always the jealous type but because of the situation..." she trailed off but I understood exactly what she was saying. "I know that I'm his mother, and I'm supposed to teach him right from wrong and tell him not to play girls but...I'm really glad he met you. You're perfect for him."

"Yes she is." Lucas interrupted, sitting next to me and resting his hand on my knee. I smiled softly, trying my hardest not to blush.

"I'm not that great." I said sheepishly, sending Lucas a soft smile.

"You're right...you're not great. You're amazing. The most amazing person I've ever met." he replied, smiling sweetly at me. Normally, when guys pulled lines like that, they just wanted to get with me and then leave. But I knew Lucas was different. Karen smiled over at us before standing up.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. Lunch should be ready in a half an hour." I smiled at her and nodded.

"Thank you Karen." I said appreciatively.

"Anytime." She sent a soft wink in my direction and walked outside with some plates.

"Come with me." Lucas whispered in my ear, standing up and pulling me with him. I raised an eyebrow and let him lead me upstairs.

"Luke..." I whispered, having a feeling that I knew where he was taking me.

"Shh. Just follow." he replied, smirking at me. He led me into a room, it looked like a little boy's room. There were shelves around the room with action figures and model cars. There was a small Nerf basketball hoop hanging from the closet door.

"Who's room is this?" I asked curiously.

"Mine." he said, looking a little embarrassed.

"Aww, how cute." I said with a smile. He sighed and let his arms rest on my waist.

"It's been like this since I was little...I didn't want to go changing it all up."

"It's adorable." I said honestly, cupping his cheek in my hand. He smiled and moved his face closer, his lips brushing against mine.

"I'm glad you like it." he whispered, bringing his hand to the back of my neck and lifting my mouth to his. His kisses were deep and passionate, and I was getting lost in him. I felt his hands slide down to my ass and I wrapped my arms around his neck, my hands running into his hair, my legs wrapping around his waist. I had completely forgotten about where we were. All that really mattered to me was the feel of his hands against my skin, the tingles I felt as his lips moved slowly against mine. I didn't realize we had been moving until I fell back against the mattress. My hands slid under his shirt, sliding across the smooth skin of his back. I pulled him closer to me, my hips arching up to meet his. His tongue brushed against my lips, making its way into my mouth. Our tongues danced together, moving slowly against each other. My hands slid into his hair, keeping his mouth connected with mine. Soft moans escaped from my lips, finding their way into his mouth. I knew we couldn't keep up at this, considering his entire family was sitting downstairs. Plus, I wasn't sure if I was ready for that next step yet.

"Luke..." I whimpered.

"God Peyt..." he mumbled, his fingertips lifting my shirt, his fingertips grazing over my stomach.

"Luke..." I tried again, pushing his hand away gently.

"What's wrong?" he asked breathlessly.

"Your family is downstairs..."

"They're all outside...no one's gonna walk in on us." he whispered, brushing his nose against mine. I sighed softly and nodded my head, pressing my lips against his.

"But, don't you want to be out there? Spending time with your family?" I suggested, tracing his jaw. He shook his head softly, looking down into my eyes.

"I'm right where I want to be...here with you." he whispered. I felt shivers as he spoke, he couldn't have been any sweeter if he tried.

"You are such a cheese ball."

"Yeah, but I'm your cheese ball." he said with a grin, kissing me once more. "Now do we really have to go back downstairs?" I laughed as he pulled out the puppy dog face, looking at me with his big blue eyes.

"Mhm." I said with a grin.

"Okay..." he said, sighing, sitting up.

"Wait." I said, pulling him back to me. "We need to talk first."

"Uh oh...that doesn't sound good." he said nervously.

"I'm not ending things with you if thats what your thinking." I told him quickly.

"Oh good. So what's up?"

"Lindsey..."

"She was an ex girlfriend of mine...that's it. I don't even care about her anymore."

"I know...I just wanted to apologize."

"For what?" I could tell he was confused.

"For offering to show Nathan around school...your mom told me about what happened with Lindsey." I felt awful about having been so nice, almost flirty with Nathan.

"It's okay...you didn't know."

"How did you handle it? Being cheated on?"

"I mean, it was a lot easier to get past then I thought it would be. I was a bit upset but then I met Haley."

"So Haley's like your rebound?" I asked, trying to keep my excitement level down. He laughed softly and nodded his head.

"You know what...I guess she is."

"Good." I said with a grin. "You know...I used to be so jealous of her. When she started dating you." I told him honestly.

"You were?" he asked, a satisfied smirk on his face. Lucas pulled me into a sitting position, sliding me into his lap.

"Yeah. Remember when I was ignoring you? I still saw you two...I hated that she could kiss you like that and I couldn't. She seriously usually gets a new boyfriend every week, but then she met you and you were the one person that made me jealous...I just don't want my sister falling for you." I said, amazed that I was saying all of this. He pulled my gaze back to his.

"You mean so much more to me than Haley does. Remember that. You're perfect, Sawyer. Perfect for me. I can't even kiss Haley anymore...now that I know what it's like to kiss you, I never want to kiss anyone else."

"That's probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Does that deserve a kiss?" he asked hopefully.

"Come here." I said with a smile, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his mouth towards mine. "Now let's go spend some time with your family...I have to get them to like me."

"They already love you." he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. I smiled softly and stood up, his hand sliding protectively over mine.

"Well let's get them to love me even more." We left the room and walked back outside, the sky was now a dark gray color. "I think it's gonna rain."

"Nah...just a little cloudy." he assured me as we walked over to the large table where his family was seated.

"Where'd you two disappear to?" Keith asked them, raising an eyebrow.

"We all know where they went uncle Keith." Nathan replied with a smirk, shaking his head.

"Yeah Keith, put the pieces together." Dan teased.

"Were you kissing?!" Lily asked excitedly, she obviously wasn't used to being able to figure out the adults conversations.

"Alright, enough. Leave them alone." Karen added in. It felt like my cheeks were on fire, it was more than a little embarrassing. "Now everyone eat up, I made enough to feed a small army." I smiled at Lucas as I felt his hand on my knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze. I glanced up as I felt a little droplet of water hit my ear.

"I think it's gonna rain Luke." I reminded him.

"She's right. I just felt a drop." Deb said, wiping her eye.

"Okay, everyone grab something. We'll have to eat inside." Everyone stood up, picking up plates and dishes of food, trying to bring it all inside before the sky completely opened up.

"Told you it was gonna rain." I teased Lucas as we sat at the kitchen table. The rest of the family laughed about it together, as the rain started pouring down outside. For once, I felt like I actually belonged, whereas in my family, I felt so out of place. It was a great feeling, a feeling I never wanted to lose.


	8. Revenge Is Sweet

_A/N: So it has been forever since I've updated any of my fanfics and that disappoints me. I've been focusing on school and haven't really had a chance to do anything but I'm hoping to start updating on a more regular basis. I'll be updating Near To You this week as well. I may edit this chapter up a bit, not sure but I kinda like it. __Warning:__ Nathan is going to be a REALLY awful guy in this fic, and Haley won't be the sugary sweet Tutor Girl we all know._

Chapter Eight: Revenge Is Sweet

I sat in one of the big comfortable recliners in the living room. Karen had banned me from the kitchen, not allowing me to help with the clean up process. The rain was really coming down outside, and I swear I saw a flash of lightning.

"Hey Blondie." I glanced up and smiled as Lucas walked towards me. "What are you doing in here all by yourself?"

"Well since I was banned from helping pick up, I walked around a bit and ended up in here." I slid over a bit so he could sit next to me, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me onto his lap. He ran a hand through my hair and smiled at me.

"I was talking to my mom and I think we're stuck here for the night."

"What? Why?" I asked. I was supposed to be at Rachel's, and if for some reason my mom called there, or showed up there, everything with Lucas could be ruined.

"She doesn't want us driving in this weather...you okay?" he asked, concern clear in his voice.

"I'm supposed to be at Rachel's...what if my mom, or Haley calls there? What if somehow they find out about us?" I asked nervously.

"I've been thinking...maybe that wouldn't be so bad? I mean, I know that Haley would be upset, and your mom would hate me but I don't want to have to sneak around anymore."

"I'd love to be able to just be with you but I don't know if I'm ready. Haley would hate me even more than she already does, and my mom would be beyond disappointed in me."

"Do you not want to do this anymore?" he asked. My heart broke hearing him ask me that. I hated that that was the vibe I was giving off but I couldn't help it. Of course I was going to be afraid to lose my family, who wouldn't be?

"Luke, that's not what I was saying...its just that they're my family..." I whispered, looking over at him, trying to get him to understand. I reached out to brush my fingertips against his cheek but he pulled away, sliding me off of his lap and standing up.

"It sounds like you want to be with me, as long as no one else knows about it...well don't worry...I won't ask you to put me before your family." Lucas started walking away, and I didn't want him to leave like this.

"Luke." I called out to him.

"Don't Peyton...I need to take a walk."

"It's pouring outside Lucas..." He just shook his head and left. I couldn't believe that I had messed it all up so fast. Everything had been perfect but than I just had to talk and hurt him. I leaned back in the seat, letting out a deep breath.

"He's not good enough for you anyways." My eyes shot open, and I found myself looking up at Nathan. "Lucas is way too sensitive for the situation you two have...he's all into love and soulmates and all that nonsense. He has to learn about just hooking up." He grabbed a chair and pulled it up in front of me. Nathan sat down and his hand reached out, brushing against my thigh. I jerked my legs up underneath myself, glaring at him.

"Lucas is a great guy and-."

"Yeah, great guy. That's what all girls say about him because they want nothing more than friendship from him. From what I just saw, you screwed things up pretty badly...so why not try me out? I can't be any worse, right?" he raised an eyebrow suggestively at me and I wanted to vomit.

"I care about Lucas, as a lot more than a friend. I wasn't trying to hurt him. And I would never do anything with you, not in a million years." I stood up and went to walk away when Nathan grabbed my arm and pulled my mouth to his. "Ugh, let go of me!" I exclaimed, pulling away and slapping him. I ran out of the room and moved towards the front door, pulling it open and peering out. I could see him off in the distance, walking slowly. "Lucas!" I called, running into the rain, chasing after him. "Luke!!" He turned and looked at me.

"What are you doing out here? You're gonna get pneumonia." he said worriedly.

"I want to be with you Lucas, I do. And I would love for the entire world to know...but I lost my dad, Haley and my mom are all I have...you have to understand that the thought of losing them scares me." I said, making sure I was talking loudly enough so he could hear me over the rain. "But I'd risk it all to be with you..." I stood there, shivering slightly, hoping that he believed me and that everything would be okay. "Luke...please just-." His lips collided with mine and it felt so right. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him close to me. It was as if the rain had stopped...the heat radiating between us made my shivers stop. All I saw was Lucas.

"I'm sorry...I just felt like you were pulling away and I overreacted." I smiled softly at him and nodded my head, everything was fixed. "Come on...let's go inside." I slid my hand into his and walked back into the house with him. We snuck upstairs back to his room, both knowing that if we ran into Karen she would scold us for going out in the rain. The shivers were back, my cold clothing sticking tightly to my skin. Lucas vanished into the bathroom and came back with two fluffy towels. "Here you go." he said with a smile, wrapping one around my shoulders. "I think I have something you can change into..." Lucas sifted through his closet as I tried to warm myself up. He walked back over to me and handed me a pair of sweats and a gray sweatshirt.

"I'll be right back." I said with a smile, walking into the bathroom and peeling off my clothing. Unfortunately, my lingerie was soaking wet as well so that had to go. I pulled the sweatshirt over my head, and pulled the sweat pants on. They weren't the perfect fit but I tied it tightly enough so that they would stay up. I folded up my clothing and walked back into his room, setting it down on an empty table. "Hi.." I whispered, tucking a strand of wet hair behind my ear. He had changed as well, into a pair of sweat pants and a white tanktop.

"Wow...you look beautiful." he said with a smile. I could see the sincerity in his eyes, and hear it in his voice. I looked down at the floor before looking back up at him, he was right in front of me now. "I am really sorry Peyton."

"Me too..." I said, sighing softly. "Luke, there's something I have to tell you..." I didn't want to tell him in fear of him hating me, or hating his cousin...but he had to know.

--

Rachel was lounging around the house, a little nervous as she watched the rain pouring down. Peyton hadn't made any contact, and now Rachel wasn't even sure if she'd be back by tonight. The phone started ringing and Rachel practically jumped out of her skin.

"Hello?" she questioned, answering it quickly.

"Hi Rachel, it's Haley. I was wondering if I could talk to Peyton."

"Oh, hey Haley...actually, you can't. She's busy at the moment..."

"Busy doing what?" she questioned. Rachel tried to think of something but wasn't coming up with anything.

"She went out this morning, to spend the day with some friends."

"Why didn't you go with?" Rachel could hear the curiosity in Haley's voice, and the disbelief. She clearly didn't believe her.

"I had this guy coming over and didn't want to miss a hook up opportunity." she said, grinning softly to herself.

"Oh..." she said, trailing off. Haley knew Rachel's reputation as the school slut so that didn't surprise her too much. "Well just have Peyton give me a call if you talk to her."

"You could just call her cellphone, but alright. Will do." Rachel said, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Bye Haley." She hung up the phone and glanced out the window, hoping Peyton was okay.

--

"Is everything okay?" Lucas asked softly, obviously a little nervous. How was I supposed to tell him his cousin kissed me? Was I supposed to just come out and say it? And how was I going to word that? Oh your cousin kissed me randomly after you left, but I pushed him away?

"Kinda...I just, I think you need to know this." I said seriously, looking into his eyes. "After you-." I stopped when I heard my phone ringing. "I'm sorry, can you hold on one second?" I asked. He nodded and I flipped open my cellphone without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey Peyton...where are you?" I recognized that voice immediately.

"Oh, hey Haley. I'm just hanging out." I said, unsure what exactly she knew.

"I just called Rachel's and she said you were out with friends..."

"Yeah, I wanted to hang out with all my friends today. We had a lot to talk about."

"Lucas!" Karen called. I raised my eyebrows and coughed softly, hoping that Haley hadn't heard that. Lucas got up and hurried downstairs, probably in an effort to make sure she didn't call his name again.

"Did I just hear Lucas's name?" she questioned.

"Oh, uhm, yeah...one of the girls on the squad has a big crush on him...don't worry though, I reminded her that he was taken."

"Oh, alright. Make sure she knows that Lucas is mine." she said skeptically. This was not good...she probably had a feeling that something was up. "I'll let you get back to your friends...I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye." I said, hanging up the phone. I sat back on his bed, falling against the pillows. That was a close one. Lucas's phone started vibrating against the bedside table, and I looked over to see who was calling. It was Haley. I set it back down and sat up, waiting for Lucas. A million thoughts swam around in my head. What if she knew somehow? Would things change between Lucas and I?

"Did she hear that?" he asked as he walked back into the room. I nodded softly.

"Yeah but I managed to change the topic. She just called you...you might want to call her back." I suggested, pointing over to his cellphone. He shook his head and sat down next to me.

"I can call her later...I want to know what you were going to tell me."

"When you left, to walk in the rain, Nathan came in...he was hitting on me and when I tried to leave...he kissed me."

"Tell me you're joking..." he said softly, looking over at me.

"I pushed him away and I slapped him but I just thought you deserved to know...I don't want to keep any secrets from you." He stood up off the bed, storming out of the room. "Lucas!" I exclaimed. I didn't want to cause any family drama and that's exactly what I had done. I hurried after him, reaching out and placing my hand on his shoulder. "Lucas, it's okay...let it go." I said softly.

"No...where is Nathan?" He listened for a second before walking towards the living room.

"Just in time to reminisce! Dad was just about to pull out the old photo albums." Nathan said with a smirk. Lucas walked over to him, punching him square in the jaw. "What the hell was that for?!" he exclaimed, rubbing his jaw carefully. I hoped that it had hurt, and from the looks of it, it had. He deserved it.

"That's for trying to hook up with Peyton!" he yelled.

"If I really wanted her I would have had her already." Nathan said, standing up, apparently ready to defend himself.

"I already told you, I'd never do anything with you. Ever!" I interrupted. The rest of his family hurried in, apparently they heard the yelling.

"What's going on here?" Dan questioned loudly, walking over to the two boys and pulling them apart.

"Nathan kissed Peyton." Lucas sneered, disgusted. I couldn't believe this was really happening.

"She's not even officially your girlfriend man! You could share." Nathan grinned at me and I had to resist the urge to hit him again.

"Nathan, go upstairs!" Deb demanded. "You need to go calm down." Nathan just smiled and raised his hands in defeat, knowing that he would get revenge, jogging up the stairs. I walked over to Lucas and slid my hands over his.

"Sit down...you have to calm down too." I whispered, walking with him over to the couch. I ran a hand through his hair, smiling at him. "Thank you for standing up for me...I've never had a guy punch someone in his family for me before." He laughed softly and so did I. Everything would be okay now. I brought my fingertips to his jaw, pulling his mouth to mine for a gentle kiss. "It means the world to me." I said seriously, looking into his eyes.

"Anything for you." he whispered, one of his hands in my hair, the other at my waist.

--

After closely examining his face in the mirror, and determining that the bruising wouldn't be too bad, he walked back towards the stairs. He heard a vibrating sound, the sound of a phone vibrating against a hard surface. It was coming from Lucas's room. He looked around, making sure no one else was around, before he walked into the room, looking at the caller ID. It was Haley. That was his girlfriend, right?

"Hello?"

"Who is this?" she asked.

"I'm Nathan, Lucas's cousin. Who is this?" he asked with a smile.

"I'm Haley, Lucas's girlfriend. Is he busy?"

"He's kind of got his hands full." His smirk just grew wider.

"Well could you go bring him the phone? I really want to talk to him."

"I would but I'm willing to bet that his mouth is preoccupied right now." Stifling laughter was pretty hard for Nathan, but somehow he managed.

"What does that mean?" she asked quietly, feeling a lump forming in her throat.

"Well he's downstairs with Peyton right now doing god knows what..."

"Peyton who?"

"Peyton Sawyer...you know her? Blonde curls, long legs, gorgeous girl..." he said, trailing off. After a few moments of silence he heard a click and the dial tone. Nathan hung up the phone and set it back down, smiling happily to himself. Revenge was sweet.

_A/N: I was trying to find a way for Haley to find out somewhat so this is how I did it. Now the question is, what will she do with this information?? Definitely a lot more intense drama to come in the next chapters. Reviews are fantastic!! _


	9. Lost In You

_Author's Note: Hey guys! Long time no see. This weekend I made a promise to myself that I would take time out once a day to work on a chapter update for my stories. For awhile I wasn't doing any writing and it really agitated me. I'm really sorry I left you all hanging but I'm back and better than ever. I hope you like this chapter; it's probably one of my favorites so far. I hope to be updating my other stories later on this week. Title is a song by Three Days Grace; if you haven't heard of them, go check 'em out. Anyways…enjoy! Reviews & ideas are really appreciated._

Chapter Nine: Lost In You

Karen was a very relaxed person, but she still wasn't going to allow her son and his…secret girlfriend to sleep in the same bed. So I ended up in one of the guest rooms down the hall from him. It wasn't too bad…the room was beautiful, but I felt sort of lonely. Here I was, in this huge house with someone else's family, sleeping in a room by myself. I spent a good twenty-five minutes staring at the peach colored walls before I couldn't take it anymore. After pulling the door open gently and peeking around the corner, I slowly stepped out of the room. With each step I prayed the floor would keep my secret. A light creaking sound was made and I silently cursed the floorboards. My body stiffened as I heard two voices; my mind was yelling at me to go back to my room, but my body wouldn't move. When my feet finally remembered how to work, they moved towards the voices.

"Stop it." Karen giggled lightly. "Everyone's asleep, we have to be quiet."

"It's not my fault you can't control your moans." I couldn't help but shudder slightly at what was taking place. Lucas's mother and father about to get it on…gross. "Besides, you know you love it."

"A little too much, maybe." I could hear the smile in her tone. Then there was complete silence, so I took that as my cue to continue on. As I slid past the bathroom, my curiosity overloaded all my senses. I peeked through the crack in the door and gasped gently. My hand flew over my mouth and I quickly hurried away before they could realize I was there. That was some intense kissing…tongues and hands all over the place… I couldn't believe it. Karen and Dan were having an affair? No wonder Karen had been so calm about everything. I remembered what she said… 'I understand. When you love someone, nothing else really matters'. How had I not put the pieces together? Shit. Was I supposed to tell Lucas or keep it hush? After a few moments of quiet contemplation I decided to keep what I had seen to myself. It was Karen's place to tell Lucas if she wanted to. After seeing that, I felt a lot better about going to sleep in Lucas's room.

"You awake, Broody?" I whispered, slipping into his room quietly. Luke immediately sat up in his bed, a wide smile on his face.

"Of course I am…did you really expect me to sleep knowing you were in this house and not in bed with me?" he asked, smirking at me playfully. I bit my lip nervously and moved towards him, slipping in next to him. His lips brushed against mine lightly, pulling me close to him. Lucas pulled us both down so we were lying next to each other, our mouths moving as one. I pulled away after a few moments, my fingertips tracing the muscles of his abdomen. "You okay?" he asked softly, running a hand through my hair. I nodded my head lightly, my gaze meeting his.

"Yeah, just over thinking things as usual." I admitted with a sigh.

"They aren't going to find out about us. Don't worry." he replied simply. It agitated me sometimes how he made it all seem so simple, but it also made me feel a lot more assured. "And even if they do, nothing's gonna keep me away from you." I couldn't help but smile and a soft blush crept onto my cheeks.

"You're too good for me." I whispered. Lucas laughed quietly and shook his head in disagreement.

"You have that backwards…you're too good for me." I looked up at him in surprise, shaking my head quickly. Me too good for him? Not at all. "Alright, how about…we're perfect for each other."

"Sounds perfect to me." I replied, pressing my lips against his. He cupped my cheek in his hand, a light smile on his face.

"We should get some sleep." he suggested. I merely nodded my head, sleep was a great idea. I shifted slightly in his arms, my head on his chest, my arm draped over his stomach. His hands met at my waist, I was completely wrapped in his arms. "Goodnight, Sawyer." he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to my hair.

"Night, Luke." I had so many different names for him, and I constantly bounced between them all. Luke was my favorite though; I was the only one who called him that. I let my thoughts settle and my eyes close. Within minutes I had drifted off, it was impossible not to with his arms securely around me.

--

The next morning I had slid out of his bed early. I didn't want Karen to know I had slept in his room so I made the bed in the guest room look like I had slept there. I decided to lay down for a bit, not exactly sure how long to wait until breakfast. At 8:30 there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" I called out, sitting up in bed. Karen's head peeked around the door and smiled softly at me.

"Morning, Peyton. How'd you sleep?" she asked.

"Really good actually, thanks." I replied appreciatively.

"Good, I'm glad. I brought some things for you…I know you weren't planning on staying."

"Thank you, Karen. I really appreciate it." I said, taking the items from her. There was a new toothbrush, a miniature tube of toothpaste, some deodorant, and things for the shower.

"I'm sure Lucas has something you can wear…feel free to take a shower, breakfast should be ready by the time you're done." She was being incredibly sweet to me, something I wasn't used to.

"I could never thank you enough for all this…I really do appreciate everything." I knew I was repeating myself but I wanted to reiterate my point.

"Don't worry about it. You're a sweet girl, and you make my son happier then I've seen him in quite some time." I couldn't help but blush lightly at her words. "I'll let you get ready…I'll see you downstairs." And with that she made her exit. I quickly got out of bed and headed to the bathroom, wanting to brush my teeth before going to see Luke. After brushing my teeth, washing my face, and toying with my hair, I headed to his room. I knocked gently, pushing the door open a bit.

"Good morning." He was already up and dressed for the day which surprised me a little bit.

"Good morning, beautiful." he replied, walking over to me. "I was disappointed when I woke up and you weren't there." His arms fell around my waist and I let my hands rest up on his shoulders.

"I didn't want your mom to know we had slept in the same bed…" I admitted sheepishly. He smiled softly at me, brushing his lips against mine.

"That's adorable."

"And that's a compliment I hope."

"But of course." He smirked at me and I grinned right back at him.

"Change of topic, I need a shirt to wear. I can wear the pants I wore yesterday but I need a shirt."

"Let me look." He pulled away and walked over to his dresser, looking through the drawers. I took this opportunity to close the door carefully. "This one shouldn't be too bad…plus, you'll like it." He tossed me a NOFX t-shirt and I smiled softly over at him.

"Thank you." I said simply, wrapping my arms around his neck. It was so easy for me to get completely lost in him.

"Anything for you." he whispered before our lips reconnected. When I kissed him, everything else faded into the background. No one else existed; it was just me and him in our own universe of sorts. I'd had my fair share of boyfriends, but being with Lucas was completely different. And it wasn't just because he wasn't all mine. When his tongue brushed against my lips I pulled away from him.

"I have to shower before breakfast…" I said reluctantly.

"You smell fine. Stay and make out with me some more." he said, a playful grin on his face. I turned away from him and laughed softly.

"I'd love to but I really need to shower." I replied, hoping he'd accept my answer.'

"I could shower with you." He brought his lips to my neck, pressing gentle kisses to my skin.

"Luke…" I whispered, subconsciously tilting my head to the side to give him better access. I felt him smirk against my neck; he was taking my actions as his sign to continue. His mouth caressed the skin, nipping gently at my pulse point. I gripped his shirt tightly, biting my lip to keep from moaning too loudly. The boy was good. He walked me back slowly towards the bed, laying me down and slipping his lips back onto mine. My hands slid under his shirt, running over the smooth expanse of his back. His hands brushed over my stomach, slowly shifting down and toying with the strings that were keeping my sweatpants around my waist. He managed to untie them in one swift tug. His fingertips slid under the waistband, moving back and forth gently. I grabbed his hand, entwining his fingers with my own. "Shower." I mumbled into his mouth.

"No…" he whined as his hands moved up my hips. He shifted his mouth, placing gentle kisses along my jaw. A giggle escaped my lips and I pushed him away lightly, moving out from underneath him and retying the sweats.

"Yes. I want to be ready before we all sit down to eat breakfast." I said, refusing to let him derail me more. He sat up on the bed, a firm pout on his face. "There'll be plenty of time for that later." I whispered in his ear, pressing a kiss to his cheek before leaving the room. I had wanted nothing more than to stay in that bed with him, but we were still around his family. I still had impressing to do. My shower didn't last very long; I didn't want to show up to breakfast late. I threw on the jeans I wore yesterday and the t-shirt Lucas gave me, fixed my hair, and made my way downstairs.

"Peyton, Peyton! Come watch the movie with me!" Lily exclaimed, rushing over to me and tugging on my hand. I couldn't help but laugh softly at her antics.

"What movie are we watching?" I asked curiously as she led me to the living room. Nathan was sitting in the recliner, seemingly engrossed in the movie. Lucas was sitting on the couch, smirking at me, patting the space next to him.

"Aladdin!" she exclaimed excitedly, settling down on the floor. I took the spot next to Lucas and his arm immediately wrapped around my shoulder. I rested my hand on his thigh and smiled softly at him. His lips brushed against my cheek and I blushed softly. Public displays of affection had never really been my thing, but with Lucas it was completely different. I leaned into him, focusing my attention on the television screen. Aladdin was one of my favorite movies, and I really didn't notice the time passing.

"Alright, time for breakfast." Karen called out to us. "Turn off the movie please." Lily bounced up and stopped the movie, looking back at Lucas and I.

"Peyton, will you sit next to me?" she asked hopefully. I smiled softly and nodded my head.

"Of course I will."

"Yay!" she exclaimed, racing into the dining room. I would never understand how little kids had so much energy all the time.

"She adores you." Luke whispered in my ear. I bit my lip gently, tucking a stray curl behind my ear. We stood up and walked hand in hand to the dining room. Lily sat up straighter in her seat, looking over at me with a smile. I walked over and sat down next to her, Lucas following close behind me and taking the empty seat on my other side. For the next few minutes there was no conversation; the only sounds were the clinking of dishes as food was passed around. Everyone started to eat, and the food was absolutely delicious.

"Karen, once again you have amazed me with your culinary prowess." Dan said, grinning wildly at her. I glanced back and forth between them, remembering what I had seen the previous night. How had no one noticed their flirtation? It didn't make sense to me. I merely continued to eat, deciding to leave it be.

"Why thank you, Dan. Only the best for my family." she replied, a flirtatious smirk dancing on her lips. I glanced over towards Keith and Deb and they didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.

"It's delicious mommy!" Lily added between mouthfuls of French toast.

"Thank you, baby girl. I'm so glad you like it." It was strange how comfortable I felt being in the presence of his family. I didn't even feel this comfortable with my own family. It was starting to seem like Lucas was supposed to be in my life. And at this point I couldn't imagine not having him.

--

After we had finished breakfast I said my goodbyes and promised to visit again soon. Lucas, of course, drove me back to Rachel's place. He parked the car out front, shifting in the driver's seat so he could look at me.

"Did you have an okay time?" he asked, a smile on his face.

"I had an amazing time…I love your family." I admitted.

"And they all love you." He slid his hand into mine, entwining our fingers. There was this slight sadness in his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm gonna miss you…when do I get to spend time with you again?" He looked up at me hopefully.

"I'm gonna miss you too…" I said seriously, a slight sense of longing in my tone. "We'll see each other again soon, I promise you that." Lucas nodded his head, the smile had returned to his face. "I better get going…I need to change and shower again so I don't smell like you." I teased.

"Because smelling like me is such a bad thing." he whispered, leaning forward and capturing my lips with his own. There was something different about this kiss…it was sweeter, gentler. This last moment would need to tide us over for a while. I had no idea when we'd get the chance to spend time together again. "I'll call you." he said once we reluctantly pulled apart.

"Don't forget…"

"I could never forget you, Peyton Sawyer." he whispered. "I'll be seeing ya." I smiled at him, pressing my lips to his once more before getting out of the car. I got to the door and turned to look at him, smiling brightly. I blew him a kiss and walked into the house, my heart practically beating out of my chest.

"Details." I jumped slightly when I heard Rachel's voice.

"Jesus, way to scare me." I replied, running a hand through my hair.

"Details! Did you get along with his family? Do they know you two are sneaking around? You didn't sleep with him with his family there did you? Does he have any hot brothers?"

"One question at a time." I said with a laugh. "I did get along with his family actually. They're all really nice people. His mom knows, but she was actually really cool about it. We slept in the same bed but no I did not have sex with him with his family there. He only has a sister, but he does have this douchebag of a cousin that you'd probably be into."

"Douchebag cousin, huh? Interesting." Rachel said, clearly intrigued.

"He's transferring to our school. I'll introduce the two of you if you would like."

"Please and thank you." she replied excitedly. She never passed up a new sex-toy opportunity. The day she did would be the day hell froze over.

"No problem. Anyways, I need a quick shower before I head home…don't want to show up smelling like Lucas."

"And wearing his clothes." I glanced down at the t-shirt and nodded my head, lighting up at the mere mention of Lucas's name. "You are so into him." she said, rolling her eyes playfully. "I'm happy for you, P. Sawyer."

"Thanks, Rach…" I smiled appreciatively at her before she made her way into the kitchen. I headed upstairs, wanting to get home as soon as possible. Haley was clearly a bit suspicious of my story, so the sooner I got home the better off I'd be. It didn't take me too long to shower; just long enough to get the Lucas smell out of my hair and off of my skin. I grabbed one of the outfits I had bought the day before and quickly threw it on, pulling my hair back into a ponytail before heading downstairs. "I'm gonna head home; sort of calm Haley's suspicions." I said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Text me later, let me know what goes on."

"Of course. Love you bitch." I told her with a smirk before heading towards the door.

"Love you hoe!" she called out to me. I laughed softly and went into the garage, climbing into my car and trying to figure out my story in my head. I had gone out with friends. We went shopping, had dinner, the usual. Rachel didn't live too far from me so within ten minutes I was pulling into the driveway.

"Anyone home?!" I called out as I walked into the foyer, dropping my keys on the side table.

"In here!" I heard Haley yell. I followed her voice and saw her sitting in the living room.

"Hey. Where's mom?" I asked curiously.

"She went to go visit dad…she should be back in about an hour."

"Why didn't she call me? I would've gone with her." I said, a bit upset. Haley merely shrugged her shoulders.

"So what were you up to last night?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not much; spent some time with my friends. A little shopping, grabbed dinner, the usual." I said simply, shrugging my shoulders.

"Was that before or after you fucked my boyfriend?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Oh no… she knew.


End file.
